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1 February 2000 The finest handling sports car in its class?
"We have produced the finest handling sports car in its class." said engineer Robin Hall. "The low volume car industry needs innovation" added company founder Andrew Barber "Too many small car companies live in the past. We were determined to build a radical design to appeal to men and women seeking individualism and modernity." FBS1 was styled by Giovanni Doglioli, an MA Automotive Design student at Coventry University’s School of Industrial Design. The project began in response to a challenge from a friend ‘to put up or shut up’ about vehicle dynamics. Eddie Powell (City lawyer, 32) explains "I had spent a weekend listening to them talking about cars. By Sunday lunchtime I had heard enough and told them that if they were so clever they should go out and build a car. Six and a half years later I drove the car and am now a shareholder in the company". The FBS1 prototype was designed, built and tested over seven years by professional engineers Andrew Barber and Robin Hall in their spare time. This innovative two seat, 2.5 litre V6 powered convertible, will be previewed at the Stoneleigh Car show (Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire) on 30th April and 1st May 2000. The company is negotiating the financing to launch the car later this year and begin customer deliveries in the spring of 2001. From engineering first principles, FBS1 was designed, mostly using CAD, with a rigid steel monocoque safety cell and replaceable front and rear subframes. The sophisticated double wishbone suspension has been designed and developed by experienced chassis engineers to provide the best in excellent ride quality and class leading handling. Both women and men have been involved in the concept, styling and testing of the vehicle. FBS1 will be available only in factory built form with a typical basic V6 model costing around £25,000. Every car will receive Single Vehicle Approval so each customer will have considerable freedom in specifying their own. Every purchaser will be invited to the factory so that the driving position can be optimised. Notes for Editors Robin Hall (33) was born and raised in Hampshire. He worked in the motor and property trades before gaining a BEng in Mechanical Engineering at Southampton Institute. He now works as a suspension design engineer at Rover. Married and about to become a father, he lives in Leamington Spa. Chartered Engineer Andrew Barber (34) was born and raised in Yorkshire. Since gaining an Aeronautical Engineering degree at Southampton University, he has worked for top engineering companies Rolls-Royce, Lotus, Ricardo, Prodrive and Rover. He lives in Buckinghamshire with his partner and young son, also called Robin. The founders have been close friends since 1986, brought together by a mutual interest in MG sports cars. Further information and pictures can be found on our web site: http://www.fbs-eng.co.uk or contact: Andrew Barber, telephone: 07767 225 286 or 01280 841 918 email: andrewbarber@fbs-eng.co.uk Robin Hall, telephone: 0280 841 900 |
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